Neglected blog and the Genteman's Socks

Good evening to my sadly neglected blog. With the demise of my trusty (not so trusty) technology tool and the busyness of the last two weeks, I have had little time and not much opportunity to post. But in between the stuff of life I have still managed to squeeze in a few stitches here and there. Last week I rummaged out a small hand-quilting project that needs be finished, and work has slowly continued on the railway stitch soldier socks.

I'm not sure mine are going to turn out *quite* as nicely as these ones, knitted by Grumperina (another lovely knitting blog to add to the basket). She does make hers look so neat and tidy, although now that I have progressed beyond the calf decrease I suspect mine will start to look more like they should.

Grumperina's Gentleman's Sock in Railway Stitch, from Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks

 

 

Detail of the calf decrease - not sure mine looks quite so neat ...

Grumperina has knitted her socks using The Gentleman's Sock in Railway Stitch pattern from Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks. I have been battling on using the pattern that I found in The Sydney Morning Herald in 1914. It is not at all user-friendly, and so far, I have resisted re-writing it in order to gain insight into the [now very respected] skill and acuity of the knitters of a century ago.

I was captive in the car for a couple of hours this afternoon, and was glad that I had grabbed my knitting bag for for the journey. I managed to complete 18 rounds of passenger-knitting on the way there and back; I always love it when I can make something of otherwise unusable time! The soldier socks are dark brownish and I have some navy contrast put aside for the stripey heel when I get there. I'm so glad I found Grumperina's socks, because now I know what mine are *supposed* to look like!! It's too late in the evening to try and take photos of dark brown socks, but maybe in a couple of days I'll post up a progress picture for comparison.

I fear my prototype sock will be somewhat dodgy. There is no way that I will be frogging it though. I shall approach it a manner becoming the Persian carpet-maker, and see it's faults as the imperfection of humanity. It will still be a thing of beauty to me.

Evie
xxx